[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H9035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PASS LEGISLATION THAT PROHIBITS PEOPLE ON THE TERRORIST WATCH LIST FROM
GETTING A WEAPON
(Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute.)
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, since 9/11, 750,000 refugees have been
resettled and welcomed into the United States of America. Not one of
them has ever appeared on a terrorist watch list or been accused of
terrorism. Yet, Republicans say that for homeland security, we should
keep these refugees from Syria out of our country.
About 40,000 people in the United States of America are on the
terrorist watch list right now and they are not allowed to get on an
airplane. But they are allowed to go into any gun store and buy any
weapon that they would like, a weapon that looks like this, for
example. This is a picture of a Smith & Wesson .223-caliber assault
rifle. This is the kind of weapon that the suspects fired in San
Bernardino. Sixty-five to 75 rifle rounds were sent, and people are
dead.
That was the 355th mass shooting in our country just this year. We
need to pass legislation that prohibits people on the terrorist watch
list from getting a weapon, and we should do it now. Prayers and
thoughts are not enough.
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